THE NUMBER of recorded coronavirus cases in Cumbria increased by 128 in a 24-hour period, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 26,108 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Thursday in Cumbria, up from 25,980 the same time on Wednesday.

The health body is now including Pillar 2 tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar 1 tests, which are analysed in NHS or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government’s mass testing programme.

The rate of infection in Cumbria now stands at 5,222 cases per 100,000 people, lower than the England average of 6,225.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 13,494 over the period, to 3,998,655.

Cumbria’s cases were among the 550,019 recorded across the North West, a figure which rose by 2,125 over the period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, have recovered and those that have died.